Lucky J Steakhouse & Arena, Carthage
May 2026
Barrel racing and roping are fairly commonplace in Missouri. Doing so while enjoying a steak dinner is a tad more unusual. Diners can partake in both at the Lucky J Steakhouse & Arena, 15 minutes from downtown Carthage.
Owners Matt and Jessie Freeman grew up in Carthage and have always owned horses and competed in equine events. Lucky J is an extension of their farming lifestyle, and their adult children work beside them.
Decked in Western décor, from the wagon wheel light gifted by a local artist to cedarwood coat racks and booths, the restaurant exudes a down-home vibe. The attached indoor-outdoor arena has become well-known in the four-state area. Diners can sit at the bar-height table stretching along a 50-foot window overlooking the action, or they can cozy up in booths in the adjacent room. Events range from horse shows sponsored by the American Quarter Horse Association and National Cutting Horse Association, barrel racing and team roping. Overnight horse motel accommodations are available. In addition, an annual agility dog show draws crowds.
“During the year, there’s only about five or six weekends that we don’t schedule competitions,” says Jessie.
At the Lucky J, it’s only fitting to order steak. Regional Hertzog Meats supplies filet, strip and ribeye steaks, all hand-cut in-house. My husband and I started with a heaping platter of hand-breaded, deep-fried mushrooms, especially tasty dipped in the house ranch dressing. Cheese curds and fried pickle appetizers are also hand-breaded. Crisp and generous side salads followed.
My husband chose the 16-ounce dry-aged ribeye, while I ordered a six-ounce filet. The well-seasoned ribeye filled his plate and provided generous leftovers. Fork-tender, the filet’s size was just right for me. Another option, the leaner “house” shoulder steak is used for kabobs or can be ordered as an entree. Sides included scratch mashed potatoes with brown gravy and tasty house onion rings, cut thin like onion straws.
Two desserts capped our meal. “Cake of the Day” featured a dense carrot cake with thick cream cheese frosting from a local baker. Brownie à la mode, also popular, delivered chocolatey indulgence. The full-service bar serves cocktails and 12 beers on tap plus domestic and import bottled beer. Local Pennington Wines supplies red and white labels.
Before or after a meal, shopping at Lucky J Boots & More offers a Western wear extravaganza. The store carries a profusion of unique and stylish boots. Jessie has added jewelry, purses, clothing and equine accessories from roping gear and saddles to stable supplies.
Visit LuckyJArena.com for more information.
Prima Facie Bistro, Parkville
February 2026
Celebrating one year, Prima Facie Bistro and The Market have recharged Parkville’s culinary landscape. Located in the former Farmer’s Exchange Bank, the dining area is sophisticated and inviting with gold touches, glittering chandeliers and blue velvet seating. Owners Leon and Heather Versfeld, long-time Parkville residents, repurposed the bank’s vault, which seats up to ten guests.
The Versfelds bought the building to relocate Leon’s law firm from the Plaza. Heather’s experience in catering and as a corporate flight attendant spurred a second vision. She decided to use the bank’s drive-through window as part of The Market—a coffee/beverage shop, breakfast and lunch spot. Leon agreed but proposed converting the main floor into a fine dining restaurant.
“Prima Facie” is a legal term meaning “at first glance,” advocating the importance of first impressions. Executive Chef James McBride curates dishes with the goal of wowing diners at first taste. He has succeeded. Chef McBride creates each marinade, sauce and dressing on the menu. Everything is prepped daily from produce to deboning chicken for the hearty chicken noodle soup. Menus change twice annually with the seasons.
On a Tuesday evening, the full restaurant buzzed with conversation. My husband and I chose a cozy booth and ordered appetizers. Crispy calamari came with a splash of lemon basil aioli and tasty red pepper marmalade for dipping. We spread artfully plated bone marrow on grilled baguette slices. And the first-rate crab cakes lived up to their recommendation.
Every entrée excelled. Trout almondine dressed in toasted marcona almonds sat atop buttery pearl couscous. Cooked to perfection, the beef tenderloin filet was capped with tallow butter and accompanied by mascarpone whipped potatoes, asparagus and a rich bordelaise sauce. Roasted Amish free-range chicken drizzled with a to-die-for Alabama white sauce (ask for extra) complimented delightfully crusty Yukon potatoes. Not-to-be missed, the signature phyllo-wrapped brownie covered with chocolate ganache was baked-to-order and served warm with vanilla bean ice cream. Bourbon peach cobbler, equally tasty, came piping hot in a mini cast iron.
Cocktails and mocktails contain house made simple syrups, shrubs and bases. An excellent wine list spans more than 100 labels. Thursday through Saturday evenings a musician entertains on the baby grand piano. Wine dinners occur several times annually. Groups can reserve the upstairs mezzanine or the private Piano Room.
Visit PrimaParkville.com for more information.
Mel's Hard Luck Diner, Branson
November 2025
Disneyesque in its vibe, customers visit Mel’s Hard Luck Diner for the experience and the food. Our group walked in as a singing waitress crooned “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from Little Mermaid. Every five to 10 minutes, one of the wait staff picked up the mic and burst into song as they roamed among the tables. Diners sat rapt during these impromptu performances, but the 1950s-themed restaurant quickly buzzed with conversations as the songs ended.
Red and white booths and chairs cozy up to white Formica tables on a black and white checkerboard floor. Mel’s personal collection of memorabilia lines the walls, including photos of famous singers with autographs from the likes of Dolly Parton, Vicki Lawrence and Carol Burnett.
Opened in 1993 in The Grand Village, Mel and Elizabeth Bilbo bought the diner in 2004. Mel is particularly suited for his restaurant after a career in the theme park industry that spanned Busch Gardens, Disney and Silver Dollar City.
“The idea of singing evolved when a waiter proposed the idea of singing 1950s tunes to diners, and it quickly became popular,” says Mel. “Servers will take requests from their personal repertoire.”
When patrons celebrate a birthday, they’re serenaded by several of the staff with a unique rendition of “Happy Birthday.” Originally, the song was not public domain so the staff created their own version using the public domain song, “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” from the Disney movie “Song of the South.” And during Christmas in July, as well as November through December, servers sing holiday tunes.
Our group ordered from the decidedly American comfort food menu featuring popular burgers, chicken fingers with scratch mashed potatoes and salads. Mel’s nod to his Southwest Texas roots includes red beans and rice. The chicken salad is a family favorite of one of the managers.
It’s no surprise that diners come in just for Mel’s specialty ice cream treats, such as chocolate nachos smothered in vanilla ice cream. Without question, The Avalanche wowed us—nine extra-large scoops of ice cream covered with numerous toppings for $49. Rivers of strawberry sauce, hot fudge, marshmallow crème, M&Ms and more came topped with whipped cream and maraschino cherries. Our table dug in and still couldn’t finish. Cake-lovers might choose the carrot cake or red velvet cake special made by a Hollister baker.
Afterward, it’s fun to stroll and check out the locally-owned Grand Village Shops. Nearly 30 boutiques cater to all interests. We especially enjoyed Kringles Christmas Shops, Back in Time Toys and Fig Tree Books.
Visit MelsHardLuckDiner.com for more information.
Anthonino's Taverna, St. Louis
August 2025
Dining at Anthonino’s Taverna on The Hill proved to be as memorable as I’d hoped. Brothers Anthony and Rosario Scarato create hearty Italian dishes and flavorful Greek specialties influenced by their Italian father and Greek mother. From their popular pizzas and handmade pastas to Greek-inspired sandwiches, their extensive menu is a delight.
The Scaratos made the transition to Anthonino’s after working in the family’s Greek fast-casual restaurants while growing up. In 2003, their parents bought what would become Anthonino’s on The Hill—a 1939-era, one-room bar with 15 tables. After Food Network featured their Nonna’s fried ravioli in 2011, things really took off. The brothers added a back area that seats up to 125 people to compliment the original bar, hardwood floors and ornate tin ceiling. Since then, they’ve won more accolades, another stint on Food Network last November and are known as the “ravioli boys” at Energizer Park soccer stadium. A new event space is also in the works.
Hand-prepared and locally sourced menu items are accompanied by Missouri beef, Midwest chicken and wild-caught fish. Pasta is prepared fresh, as is the pizza dough. Scratch sauces include their beloved marinara, now sold in Schnucks along with their pizzas. Olive oil and cheeses hail from Italy. Ciabatta is delivered from Fazio’s Bakery around the corner.
Of course, my husband and I started with their handmade raviolis featured on Food Network. At the start, the brothers fried up 12 at a time; now, they sell 6,000 to 10,000 weekly. Yummy pillows of pasta filled with ground beef, ricotta and pecorino-Romano cheese were accompanied by marinara for dipping. Another tasty appetizer, baked goat cheese, sourced from a Wisconsin farm, came served with house-fried pita chips.
Equally delicious, my husband chose sweet-savory, pan-fried chicken Marsala topped with cremini mushrooms and accompanied by scratch garlic mashed potatoes. I ordered breaded and charbroiled Palermo-style chicken crowned with lemons, capers, Sicilian olives and reduced Marsala butter sauce, accompanied by heavenly alfredo pasta finished with fresh cream from Rolling Lawn Farm in Illinois. Dessert was an easy choice. Anthony’s mother’s lukumades, yeasty Greek “donuts” fried golden-brown were served warm and brushed with cinnamon, honey and walnuts.
Giving back is simple here. Through Anthonino’s partnership with GiftAMeal, diners scan a QR code, take a picture of their food and upload it. A meal is then donated to someone through Operation Food Search. Scarato remarked that it’s not unusual for monthly donations to reach 300 meals.
Visit Anthoninos.com for more information.
Tin Mill Restaurant, Hermann
May 2025
The historic Hermann Mill, formerly an 1840s grain elevator, mill and icehouse, now houses the Tin Mill Restaurant. Intricately tied to the town’s agriculture, the mill produced White Pearl Flour and Lucky Hard Wheat Flour. The Dierberg family of Saint Louis renovated the mill in 2007 and have been instrumental in Hermann’s preservation for many years.
Blueprints of the building hang on the restaurant’s back wall. Original wood flooring and beams add a rustic vibe. Centered in the dining area, the grain elevator shaft soars seven stories above the basement. An attached icehouse, now Celebration Hall, accommodates large dinner parties, weddings, conferences and private events.
“Our seasonal menu offers German-American comfort food with several Italian dishes added this winter,” says general manager Justin Lieser. “Chef Stewart Barteau joined us last March and previously worked at some notable St. Louis restaurants.”
Wines from Dierberg vineyards in Hermann and Santa Barbara, California influence every dish, even the vegetables. Four beers on tap are crafted by the traditional German method at Tin Mill Brewery just across the street. Cocktails feature spirits from local Black Shire Distillery, also a Dierberg enterprise. Five wine flights and a beer flight offer samplings.
“We have the luxury of using wine from our vineyard just eight miles away,” says Lieser. “Our labels include estate wines and reserve blends as well as blends from the Dierberg’s Missouri and California wineries.”
For starters, my husband and I ordered the Bavarian soft pretzel to dip in house made beer cheese. The wurstteller plate showcased two German sausages made by local Swiss Meats. Scratch sweet and spicy mustards complimented the hearty sausages.
Our three dinner entrees incorporated house made sauces, gravies and sides. The boneless whiskey barbecue chicken arrived grilled and topped with tangy barbecue sauce that featured Black Shire Distillery whiskey. A tender 10-ounce strip steak drizzled with Norton onion butter included mashed potatoes and broccoli. Our favorite, and the most popular entrée, was hand-tenderized and lightly breaded schnitzel. Thin and crispy encrusted pork tenderloin with dill gravy accompanied sides of traditional red cabbage sauerkraut and warm German potato salad.
Service was attentive. We lingered over dessert that included crème Brulé, bread pudding and apple strudel beignets à la mode. The beignets perfectly capped off our hearty meal. Four pastry-filled rolls came stuffed with a homemade, but not-overly-sweet, apple filling.
Visit TinMillSteakHouse.com for more information.